The Tide Hammer

Episode 01

The Deep Roads

10

OCT/11

Campaign Date: 9 Harvestmere, 930
Fleeing West Hill, a ragtag group of heroes more aptly called fortune hunters makes their way towards the Deep Roads, where the barely scrupulous dwarf, Tortho, insists that smugglers have left a vast fortune. The heroes’ efforts are complicated when they discover a band of refugees seeking safe passage out of town. The two groups make a pact, and descend into the Deep Roads.

Each hero proves their worth in the Deep Roads: Sun, an apostate with a mercenary attitude helps the group navigate the labyrinth of dwarf-made passages. The cautious and quiet Fif warned of impending dangers. And the well-spoken warrior Stefan helped the group and its refugee followers stay calm and collected. Deep within the complex, the heroes discovered an ancient lantern, with archaic runes etched upon the surface. More mysteriously, the lantern flickered to life just moments before Darkspawn charged down the tunnel. Dispatching the threat quickly, although not without great injury to the young Antivan girl Rosalin, the group fled through the tunnels as more of the creatures started to close upon them.

Their path ended at a massive drop-off, where the underground road emerged from a cliff side, with the crashing water far below and a system of pulleys that descended to an abandoned smuggler’s ship, which the heroes later discover is named The Tide Hammer. With Darkspawn closing in, the heroes raced down the ropes to the ship as the hideous monsters rained axes upon them. After valiantly securing the ship with all the refuges aboard, the heroes discovered what killed the ship’s original inhabitants – a massive spider. As Genlocks leapt from the pulleys down to the ship the heroes managed to finish off the spider, push the ship off shore and finish off the last of the Darkspawn.

Safely aboard and managing what they could to direct the ship out of the hidden bay, a fierce debate broke out as to where the heroes should head first. Some of the refugees wanted nothing more than to meet up with their families in the towns of Highever and Kirkwall, while other had no where to go at all. In the end, the group set course for Kirkwall where they could drop off a few of the passengers, pick up supplies, and perhaps hear what fates have befallen the other coastal nations of Thedas.